This is Not a Fairytale
by sentbyfools
Summary: A collection of oneshots and drabbles, mainly Buffy/Angel. Each story is complete and can stand-alone.
1. Slaying Does Pay

**Title: **Slaying Does Pay

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **Buffy/Angel'

**Summary: **Buffy and Angel discuss toothpaste. Set mid season 2.

**Author's Notes: **First fic in a while. It feels good. I hope y'all enjoy and be sure to drop me some reviews and I might just add another fic today. ;)

* * *

Buffy gave herself a silent cheer. Her nails had finished drying and for once, she hadn't messed them up. This time, there had been no interruptions or things to startle her into ruining them.

Funny thing that; it was unusually quiet.

Not that Angel wasn't usually quiet. It was one reason she cherished the moments they spent together so dearly. That, and the recent feelings of fatality that she didn't like to think too hard on; they gave her a headache. No, she liked to focus on the simple stuff like the fact that Angel was the best listener. He didn't interrupt her when she really needed to rant nonstop at someone and he always made her forget what she was angry about halfway through said rant. She smiled at the memory of her last rant which had ended with his hands in her hair and her tongue in his mouth.

But back to the present.

"Angel, where are you?"

It was then that Buffy noticed the sound of running water. She followed the sound into Angel's bathroom and raised an eyebrow at the sight before her.

"I didn't know you brushed your teeth," she said. Her glance shifted from Angel to the mirror he had recently installed in the bathroom. She'd thanked him even though he hadn't mentioned it; she knew he had only done it for her.

"Just because I don't eat or breathe, that doesn't mean my breath doesn't smell," he said, after spitting and rinsing his mouth.

She walked over to the sink and picked up the tube of toothpaste. _Colgate Total: Advanced Clean._

"So, this is how you keep your teeth so white. And here I thought that was just one of the perks of being a vampire."

Angel came as close to rolling his eyes as he ever did. "If you have yellow teeth when you're human, you'll have yellow teeth after you've been turned."

Buffy nodded, her attention already wavering. "Colgate Total: Advanced Clean. You know, they should make a line of toothpastes e especially for the hygiene-conscious vampire. You know like Colgate Total: Multi-lifetime Clean. Or Colgate Total: Blood Protection."

He gave her a look. "Colgate Total: Blood Protection?"

"If Blood's as hard to get out of teeth as it is to get it off clothes, then I'm sure this will be very profitable."

He smiled at her then as he put away his toothbrush. "Maybe you should suggest it to them."

"Yeah, yeah! And you could be my testimonial like witness person. I could make a ton of money off of you and your pearly whites."

She looked contemplative for a moment. "Huh. Maybe this slaying gig does pay off after all."

Angel leaned in and kissed her, a slow languid kiss that had them pulling apart minutes later. Buffy stroked his cheek, a grin forming on her face.

"Mmm, minty fresh."


	2. Upskirts

**Title:** Upskirts

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **Buffy/Angel

**Summary: **School AU. Human AU. Angel looks up Buffy's skirt during biology class.

**Author's Notes:** This was supposed to be a part of a series of drabbles where the gang is all in high school, Angel and Spike are mega pervs, Buffy, Faith, and Xander are trouble makers, Gunn is Fred's guinea pig, Cordelia is the queen bitch, Doyle is the resident drunk, Wesley is Buffy's uncle and Giles' nephew, and Willow and Oz are the only sane ones.

Thanks to** ode to a melancholy **and **kitotterkat **for **reviewing.** (and yes that is underlined for a reason...**REVIEW**)

* * *

"And that is how light rays filter into the cells of the leaf. Mr. O'Connor can you explain why the leaf turns yellow and brown in the fall and winter?"

Mr. Devlin, the senior class AP Biology teacher, turned around when the only response he received was the sound of giggles and whispers from the back of the room.

"Mr. O'Connor, what are you doing?" he demanded, his eyes travelling from the mirror on the floor beneath the sleeping Buffy Summers to Angel O'Connor's less than innocent face.

"Buffy dropped her mirror. I was just getting it for her," Angel explained cheerily, as if he hadn't just been caught looking up Buffy's skirt.

It was at this moment that Buffy decided to wake up. "What were we talking about?" she asked, looking dazed from her recent nap.

William "Call Me Spike" Shaw chuckled and replied, "We were discussing the poof's inability to keep his eyes to himself and away from your panties."

"What?" Buffy turned to Angel angrily and when she noticed the mirror in his hands she reddened drastically.

"You ass!" She hissed, pulling her short black mini skirt down as far as it would go and crossing her legs self-consciously.

"Sorry, babe. But you know I have a thing for red underwear," he said, holding his hands out mock apologetically. "And yours are particularly delightful. Did you buy them at that new lingerie shop at the mall?"

Mr. Devlin could feel a headache coming on. He'd thought putting them in the front would stop their antics; it only made worse. He'd never thought he'd be grateful to have a student cut his class, but at this moment, he thanked God that the other Summers' girl, Faith, was not here.

"You make me sick. Go to hell," Buffy said, uncrossing her legs and sitting up straighter. She made a move towards Angel, but then thinking better of it, crossed her legs again and slid back down in her chair.

"I would, but then you'd miss me. And we can't have that," Angel said. He leaned on his elbows, looking with interest at his teacher.

Mr. Devlin was near apoplectic. Unable to speak, he just pointed towards the door. Angel had long ago learned what that meant and slinging his bag over his shoulder, he got up to leave.

"See you later, Buff!" He blew her a kiss and was out the door before Mr. Devlin could regain his ability to speak.

Buffy rolled her eyes and tried to tell herself that she hadn't felt Angel's phantom lips on her cheek.


	3. Sick

**Title: **Sick

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **Buffy/Angelus

**Summary: **AU. The Vampire High Court and the Watcher's Council have a long-standing agreement to suppress the power of the slayer upon her calling. When a slayer is called who's powers cannot be suppressed by the Council's magic, the Council hands her over to Vampire High Court.

**Author's Notes: **Yet another au, I want to write but don't know if I'll have the inspiration to keep up with it. Slightly inspired by the Crow 4: Wicked Prayer (don't ask, it had David Boreanez in it and I can't resist him, no matter how bad the movie)

Thanks to **ode to melancholy **, **belovedslayer**, and **Sabrina **for **reviewing. **And to **Sabrina, **I didn't even realize that I had clicked Angelus; I thought it was Angel. But Angelus works as well, so... :)

* * *

"It's my birthday, but Daddy's the one with the present. It isn't fair." Drusilla pouted, flopping down angrily into the chair next to Spike.

Angelus ignored her and her childish antics, choosing to focus on the delicious sight before him instead. Buffy refused to look at him, but he knew his stare was getting to her. She fidgeted nervously under his gaze. Her dress gave him an unhindered view of her golden, tanned skin. Her neck was particularly enchanting, the strapless red gown and matching ruby encrusted necklace enhancing the smooth, delicateness of her skin.

Angelus grabbed Buffy by her elbow, wanting nothing more than to bury his face in the curve of her throat. He resisted that urge in favor of dancing with her. She fought him briefly as he pulled her out of her seat, but he tightened his grip, successfully quelling any protests. Angelus led Buffy to the ballroom floor, aware of all the eyes on them. Dru was going to be really angry with him tomorrow. He'd buy her a nice young boy to make it up to her. A golden haired teenager would do nicely; he'd tell Penn to look into it.

Pulling Buffy further into his embrace, he forced her to move in time with the music. She looked at him with wide, blue eyes. Angelus smirked down at her in turn.

"You're sick," Buffy spat, some of her earlier nerve returning and coloring her cheeks a lovely shade of red.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Really? How so?"

Buffy flustered, the question seeming to throw her. He watched her mind race through the expressions that flittered across her face. After a moment, she seemed to come to an answer. Buffy gazed down at him through slitted eyes, her mouth almost forming into a snarl.

"You're a vampire."

He laughed loudly, causing Buffy to jump in his arms, and the eyes that had just begun to travel elsewhere to return full force. It was obviously not the reaction she was expecting.

"Is that so? I'm sick because I'm a vampire?" He lowered his voice as he leaned into her, brushing his cold cheek against her equally warm one. "Then you're just a sick as me, babe 'cause we're two of a kind."

Buffy was the first to break their embrace, backing as far out of Angelus' arms as his grip would allow. He stood to full height and worked out the kinks in his neck. They danced in silence for the next hour or so before he decided to call it an early night. He was unusually tired.

"Come on," he said to her, breaking her out of her self-imposed reverie, "Let's go to bed."

Angelus scanned the crowd with his eyes, finally catching sight of Spike over by the two Master Vampires who had travelled all the way from their home country of Italy for Drusilla's birthday bash. Catching Spike's eye, he nodded at him, and recognizing the signal, Spike nodded as well.

Angelus led Buffy out of the room, ignoring the concubines vying for his attention. He really wasn't interesting in seeking pleasure in a cold body tonight. Not when he had Buffy's warm one pressing up against his side.

When they reached his bedroom, he allowed her to take her clothes into the bathroom with her and though he was tempted to, he didn't interrupt her as she prepared for bed.

He listened to the sound of her moving about in the bathroom as he shed his clothes. Down to just his silk boxers, he slid comfortably into the bed and began to doze off. He was halfway by the time the bathroom door opened again and Buffy exited in a pair of black shorts and one of his silk shirts. He'd considered getting Buffy her own pajamas, but this sight was infinitely more appealing than any matching flower print shirt and pants set.

She slid into the bed next to Angelus, carefully avoiding making any physical contact. It didn't matter; in the morning, she'd wake up with his arm wrapped around her no matter how far away from him she slept.

Angelus clicked off the light on the bedside table that he'd left on for Buffy, even though he knew she could see as well in the dark as him, and he was once again almost asleep when she spoke.

"What did you mean when you said we were two of a kind?"

He didn't turn around to look at her, didn't even open his eyes. "You. Me. Vampire. Slayer. When it all boils down to it, we're one and the same: killers."

He felt her shudder beside him. She'd figure it out soon enough.

She'd have to.


	4. lay down your arms, give up the fight

**Title:** lay down your arms, give up the fight

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing:** Buffy/Angel

**Summary:** Based on AU. Based on Sandra Brown's Another Dawn. Buffy Summers is engaged to Riley Finn but on the eve of their wedding, Harmony Kendall shows up, pregnant, and claiming Riley is the father of her child. Angry and hurt, Buffy comes to Angel looking for comfort in the form of his sweet embrace.

**Author's Notes: **Basically, this is based off a harlequin romance. Cheesy, yes. But I really don't care. I may write more for the fic, it all depends on the muse. Oh, song title is lyrics from "21 Guns" by Green Day.

Thanks to **BelovedSlayer**, **Princesakarlita411**, and **veronica **for reviewing. And to **veronica, **I'm already have another fic in that series planned out, so keep your eyes peeled.

* * *

"You don't want this," Angel said, his voice sounding weak to his own ears. He couldn't even convince himself.

Buffy looked down at him, her eyes too bright, too blue.

"You don't know what I want. So I'm telling you." She leaned down and brushed soft, wind-chilled fingers against his temple. "I want this."

Angel groaned and closed his eyes, trying to block out the images racing through his head. She was going to hate him tomorrow and for the moment, he really didn't care.

He rolled their bodies so that Buffy was pinned beneath him and removed the rest of her clothes. He stared down at her and she returned the look confidently even as she shivered beneath him. He shouldn't do this. He should just give her back her clothes and send her back to bed. He should recognize her lust for what it was: her pain, and send her packing.

He should do a lot of things.

She was so beautiful. From her head to her toes, the moonlight covered her skin, giving her an ethereal glow. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

'Girl. She's just a girl,' the dark voice in his head whispered. 'And what you're about to do is wrong and you know it.'

Buffy was still staring up at him with those bright, blue eyes, and Angel brushed her hair back and kissed her. And kissed her. And kissed her. His tongue slowly explored her mouth, tasting the sweetness and innocence in the hidden warmths of her mouth. Her tongue tentatively brushed his own, almost as hesitantly as the hands in his hair. She seemed to have finally caught on to what she had asked him to do and Angel knew that if he stopped right now, at this very moment, they'd both wake up tomorrow unscathed and unchanged. Her eyes had been closed when she first began to kiss him and Buffy opened them, once again looking at him. The question burned in her eyes. Angel could still stop this. He could still stop.

He could still stop.

But then the moment was gone and her tongue was moving in his own mouth, her movements bolder and surer than they had been before.

And as he pulled away and began to remove his shirt, Angel knew that he was going to hell.


	5. like

**Title: **Like

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **Willow/Spike.

**Summary: **Willow likes Spike. Set in an AU world where the Watcher's Council and the Vampire High Court (yes, I have two of these AUs) teamed up against the normal humans after they discovered the existence of slayers and demons and tried to eradicate them both. In this AU, the Watcher's Council sends Buffy and her sister slayer, Faith, to the Vampire High Court in Rome. Angel is assigned as Buffy's guide and Spike is assigned as Faith's. Willow was a vampire slayer turned in the early 20th century by Spike.

**Author's Note: **I'm not sure how I feel about this fic. I like the idea and I like the pairing (who'd have thought? I've never even considered this pairing before) , but I'm not sure I executed it properly. Oh well, at least I tried, right?

Thanks to **ba2006** and **ode to melancholy** for **reviewing.** Oh, and Rebecca, this is 7th fic I've written in total. I think I've hit a new record!

* * *

Willow likes Spike.

Willow likes the way Spike's mouth moves when he speaks.

When he says big words, he opens his mouth wide, like he's still human and needs air to breathe. She can hear the press of his lips as he enunciates each syllable of the word, as if he's challenging the room to question his understanding of it. When he says something dirty, his bottom lip always ends up tucked underneath his fangs. The movement develops into a grin that says the unspoken: he's perverse and he's proud. When he whispers in her ear while he moves on top of her, his mouth presses soft, feather light touches to her ear that are a direct contrast to the rough thrusting of his hips.

Willow likes the expressiveness of Spike's eyes.

When he's angry, they brighten, becoming an electric blue that sends shock waves through her body. She knows fear then, knows that the beauty of his eyes veils a darker, more violent nature. When he's tired, his eyes close far enough to allow his eyelashes to cover the dark, hazy blue of his eyes. When he's excited, his eyes are big pools of baby blue and she can't help but be reminded of the little boys at the park with their bright blue cars and their blinding smiles.

Willow likes Spike's hair.

When he's just exited the shower, his hair is a dark, tangled mess of fading dye and it sticks to his face like the best kind of melted chocolate. It's the same when he comes in from the rain, though the added smell of damp grass and warm, summer air makes burying her face in his hair all the more appealing. When he's lighting up a cigarette on the terrace, his hair is gelled to hard tips and dyed Billy Idol blond. The gel locks in the scent of smoke and when he's asleep in her bed hours later, she can still taste the tobacco in the air. When he's called away to court, his hair is back to its original shade of reddish-brown and its parted down the side and brushed out of his face, like the way it was when he died. She doesn't mention that she likes it, choosing to appreciate the style in silence.

Willow likes the feel of Spike's chest.

When he sleeps, his chest is cold and still. He doesn't move when she runs her fingers over it, nor does he move when she replaces those fingers with her tongue. His chest is smooth to the touch, and the unblemished expanse of skin reminds her of a recently chiseled statue, new and untouched. When he talks, his chest rumbles. If she only watches she can see the way it tightens and retracts with each word, but if she touches, she can feel each word beneath her hands; if she had not been born with ears or eyes, she'd still be able to understand his every word. When he feeds, his skin warms beneath her hand. And if she puts her hand over his dead heart, she can feel the blood pulse through it as if his heart was beating once more.

Willow likes Spike.


	6. could we dim the sun

**Title: **could we dim the sun

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **buffy/angel

**Summary: **Buffy is Angel's addiction. Set in an AU world where everyone is human and in college.

**Author's Note: **Um, this doesn't really have a plot. I just really wanted to write a fic with these lyrics. Lyrics from "I Caught Fire" by the Used.

* * *

_in your eyes, I lost my place  
__could stay a while  
__i'm melting in your eyes  
like my first time  
that I caught fire_

Buffy didn't turn at the sound of someone clambering onto the roof and didn't even acknowledge the creak of the roof as they lay down beside her. She continued to stare at the starry landscape of the night sky. Every once in a while the moon would peek through a patch of clouds, illuminating the world below, and Buffy didn't want to miss it.

"You still mad?" Angel asked from his place beside her. Buffy was amazed it had taken him this long to ask. He wasn't usually so shy about interrupting her alone time.

"Isn't it obvious? Of course, I'm not still mad about you blowing me off."

She felt Angel flinch beside her. Good.

"I didn't want to, but I had to work," he said with exasperation.

"Yeah, whatever," she said. After a moment, Buffy sat up and turned to look at him. "You know, that excuse is getting real old. If you don't want to see me anymore you could just tell me. I won't mind."

Her voice cracked at the end and she turned over so Angel couldn't see her cry. She never wanted him to see her cry.

She protested when Angel's arms wrapped around her, and when he had turned her so that she was beneath him, she forced herself to stare at his chin.

"Look at me, Buffy."

She blinked slowly. His chin was just as perfect as the rest of him. Just as chiseled and smooth.

"I _am_ looking at you."

She could almost hear him rolling his eyes.

"Look at me, Buffy."

Buffy took a deep breath and finally looked him in the eyes. They were darker than normal, almost black. Trying not to blink, she let her mind wander. _Huh,_ she thought, _if this were a chick flick, he'd kiss me right now. I wish this were a chick flick._

"Buffy," Angel said, breaking her from her thoughts. "Buffy, you know I don't want to leave you."

She gave him a small smile, her eyes watering again. "I know; I'm just being stupid."

Angel smiled back at her, the starlight glinting off his teeth. He leaned down and kissed her softly.

"Besides you know I can't live without you. You're my addiction, Buffy."

She laughed at that and punched him in the arm playfully. "God, have you been watching Xander's "secret" romance collection? That was so lame."

He lay back down and tugged at her arm until she acquiesced and placed her head on his shoulder. _The sky truly was beautiful tonight_, she thought as the moon broke through the clouds to shine down brightly on the sleepy town of Sunnydale. Buffy closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift off to sleep.

Angel felt Buffy still beside him and he let out the breath he'd been holding since he'd climbed onto the roof. He hadn't been sure she was going to forgive him this time; he'd actually been surprised when she had.

Buffy had laughed when Angel told her he was addicted to her, but it was true. It hurt to be away from her; she was always on his mind. Since he'd met her in the 3rd grade, she'd been the only thing on his mind. He brushed her hair with his fingers and she moved, pressing her head further into his chest. Just one more paycheck and then he'd do it.

Then he'd ask her to marry him.

_let's sleep til the sun burns out  
i'm melting in your eyes_


	7. i feel like a monster

**Title: **i feel like a monster

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **buffy/angelus

**Summary: **Buffy wants Angelus. And she's gonna make him want her.

**Author's Note: **This is in the same AU as Like. This fic probably should've preceded that, but the muse had other plans. Also, if you haven't noticed, I'm trying to update this fic once a day. It's like a little writing challenge for myself, how long can i go writing and posting everyday? (I'm hoping it's a long time ;) And btw, **if any of your favorite fics are posted on a geocities hosted site, you should probably save them soon as Geocities is closing down October 26.**

**Thanks to: ode to melancholy**, **bangel'stheonlywaytogo**, **kitotterkat**, and **ba2006** for **reviewing**.

Song lyrics are from "Disturbia" by Rihanna.

* * *

Buffy rose from her seat angrily and stormed onto the dance floor of the Bronze. She was tired of Angelus ignoring her. It was time she made him pay attention.

Angelus was halfway out of his seat when he realized she wasn't actually leaving the club. He settled back down in his seat, watching her with interest. Buffy was volatile and determined; he wondered what she was doing now.

Buffy felt his eyes on her and smiled to herself. She was glad he was already watching; she didn't want to start without having his full attention. Where would be the fun in that?

Buffy glided over to the nearest boy. He'd had his eyes on her since she entered the Bronze. She could smell his lust from across the room. It was just one of the pluses of having slayer sense; it made it easier to separate the pervs from the genuinely nice guys. Not that she'd met too many of those; once her breasts had come in, the genuinely nice guys had all but disappeared. She allowed the boy the grab her by the waist as a new song began.

_What's wrong with me?__  
Why do I feel this way?  
I'm going crazy now_

Buffy slid her hands up around the boys neck as she began to rub her hips against him. She could hear his breath catch. She wondered what Angelus could hear? Could he hear the rushing of the boy's blood? Could he smell the lust in it? Could he smell it in hers?

She laughed inwardly at the thought. He'd probably think she wanted the boy; like she'd waste her time with some child. It didn't matter that she was barely a year older than him. He was still ages and ages away from ever interesting her.

_It's a thief in the night to come and grab you  
It can creep up inside you and consume you  
A disease of the mind, it can control you  
It's too close for comfort_

Angelus shifted in his seat and forced down the growl in his throat. Buffy was an evil bitch. Was this his punishment for denying her? Having to watch her mate with some…**boy**. It was sickening, but he couldn't look away. He watched the boy's hands travel down Buffy's sides to rest on her hips and this time he couldn't suppress the growl of anger at the sight. Her eyes locked with his and they stared at each other. She didn't break eye contact even as she rubbed against the boy, even as he began to grow more bold, his hands moving from her hips to her stomach to the space beneath her breasts.

Angelus wanted nothing more than to go over and rip the boy off of her, but he couldn't. He couldn't give her what she wanted. He wouldn't.

Instead he gripped the table and continued to stare into her eyes. She really was an evil bitch.

_Faded pictures on the wall, it's like they talking to me  
Disconnecting on call, the phone don't even ring  
I gotta get out or figure this shit out  
It's too close for comfort, oh_

Buffy had looked up when she heard Angelus' growl and hadn't looked away since. His eyes were a deep, dark chocolate brown and she was entranced by them. Obsessed with them, to be honest. Buffy could lose herself in those eyes. It was probably why he was still the most vicious killer in Europe. It probably didn't take much to make someone come with him; one look from him and they were goners.

Buffy moved her hands idly up the boy's chest before breaking eye contact with Angelus and turning to face the boy. His eyes were brown too. But they were a dull, muddy brown – totally boring and unappealing. Buffy forced herself to smile at him before she pressed a kiss to the inside of his throat, letting her teeth drag across his skin. Buffy vaguely considered biting down into the soft skin and letting his blood flow into her mouth before she decided against it; it probably would taste any good.

She left a hickey on the boy's throat instead and then pulled away. Buffy smiled at him again and wondered if he knew how badly she wanted to see him bleed.

_It's a thief in the night to come and grab you__  
It can creep up inside you and consume you  
A disease of the mind, it can control you  
I feel like a monster, oh_

Buffy kissed the boy again and whispered against his lips, "Do you wanna go outside?"

The boy nodded and she rolled her eyes inwardly. Boys were so stupid.

She led the boy through the crowd and out of the club. When they'd exited she turned down a nearby alley before attacking him with her lips. Less than a minute had passed before she was being pulled off of him.

"You chose the wrong girl, boy," Angelus said through his fangs, his face in full vamp mode.

Before the boy could cry out, Angelus was tearing through his throat and sucking the boy dry. After a moment, his heartbeat slowed and stopped, and Angelus dropped the body and turned to Buffy. His face was human once again, but when he grabbed her and pushed her against the wall, he was all demon.

"You want me to take you, don't you? You want me to make you mine?" he growled into her face. She stared at him with wide eyes. This is what she had wanted.

"Don't worry, I'm gonna make you mine," he said, almost to himself, "I'm gonna make it so that you never forget who you belong to." He seemed to stare at a spot just above her head and for a moment, Buffy thought he had truly lost it.

But a moment later he snapped back to life and began to pull her behind him. "I'm not gonna do it here though. Come on!"

Buffy tagged along behind him and smiled widely. She knew she would have him. Patience really did pay off.


	8. i'm with you

**Title: **i'm with you

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **Buffy/Angel

**Summary: **Buffy can't give it up. Set in an AU world where nuclear war has ravaged the land and allowed hell to reign on earth.

**Author's Notes: **I'm thinking this fic should be retitled "In how many universes can I set up Buffy and Angel?". Seriously, AU's are taking over my brain. And I'm thinking of taking prompts so be sure to leave me any ideas for a fic you'd like to see written in the reviews, and I may just write one.

**Thanks to: ba2006** and **BelovedSlayer **for **reviewing.**

Lyrics from Avril Lavigne's "I'm With You".

* * *

_I don't know who you are, but I  
I'm with you_

The girl looked both ways, up and down the alley, before moving out from her hiding spot. It wasn't safe to walk out blindly into the night; that kind of stupidity could get you killed.

Walking quickly, she made her way to the dirty building across the street. Its dilapidated exterior was home to a few dully lit letters that in the store's heyday had once spelled out "Moe's Pawn Shop."

She entered the building silently, the barely there tinkle of the doorbell making the only noise that announced her arrival.

She shivered; the store was much cooler than the pollution heated outside world. She didn't like having to come here, but she needed to be strong to help her family and herself survive in this world. And for that she needed food. And to get that, she needed money.

And Moe's was the only place to get that.

"Hey, Slayer! Glad to see you've made it back to my fine establishment," the storeowner, Moe, stated from his place behind the counter. He was filthy; from head to toe he looked like he had been digging a hole and hadn't bothered to bathe. Which was probably what happened. The death rate kind of distracted you from the little things like bathing. He smiled at her through broken and blackened teeth and she fought the urge to flinch. Fear did nothing but kill you sooner.

"How much?" she asked, approaching the counter and placing a dirt-encrusted gold chain on it.

"As usual, you're a girl of few words," he said drily. He eyed the chain up and down before tossing it into the nearby trash bin.

"It wasn't real," he explained when she turned on him murderously.

She let out a growl of frustration. She really needed the money. She turned back to him and saw that he was still watching her.

"Like I've told you before, that claddagh you're wearing is worth a whole lot. I can give you $70 for it."

She shook her head negatively even before he finished his estimate. Though $70 would make her life a whole lot easier, she couldn't give away the ring. Not when it was the only connection to the past she couldn't remember. Not when taking it off meant the breaking of a promise she couldn't remember waking.

Not when she knew that someone out there had given it to her. _To a Slayer, Love an Angel._

She needed the ring because it was from an Angel. She needed to believe that there were Angels.

She sighed. She'd just have to go out scavenging again. She wrinkled her nose at the prospect of competing with the other scavengers. It wasn't like she couldn't handle them if they got to rowdy, but the possibility of one of them attacking her family dwelled, ever present, in her mind.

"You know, Slayer, there are more ways of getting money besides pawning goods. You have other…attributes that are worth more than even that ring on your finger," Moe continued, eyeing her up and down.

This time the girl did flinch. The idea of selling herself to someone so disgusting made her want to vomit. Thank god she hadn't eaten anything in days or she probably would've done just that.

She backed away quickly out of the shop and could hear him calling after her even as the door shut behind her. She was once again in the alley outside the building. Forgetting safety in favor of making a fast getaway, the girl didn't notice her assailant until he was right on top of her.

She punched, kicked, scratched, bit and did everything else she could to get out of his grip, but after a moment of futile attempts, she realized that he wasn't attacking her. This turn of events was not necessarily a good thing, but she forced herself to stare defiantly at her attacker.

His eyes were familiar.

She couldn't look away from him. She knew these eyes. She knew the warmth, the safety, the happiness, and the sadness they offered better than she knew herself. She had dreamed of these eyes, dreamed of falling into them and never getting back up.

"Buffy."

_Buffy_. That was her name.

He held her hand in his own, his grip tight enough to bruised, and she noticed the twinkle of the ring that matched her own. When she looked into the eyes of the stranger, she finally believed everything would be alright.

After all, she had an Angel by her side.

_I don't know who you are, but I  
I'm with you_


	9. you're going to town

**Title: **you're going to town

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **Buffy/Angel

**Summary: **Buffy says the damnedest things.

**Warnings: **Adult Content. **AKA** **DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE BELOW 16. WELL AT LEAST, NOT THE FIRST FEW CHAPTERS.**

**Thanks to: ba2006, belovedslayer, **and **princesakarlita411** for **reviewing.**

Lyrics from Papa Roach's "I Almost Told You That I Loved You".

**

* * *

  
**

_i almost told you that I loved you  
thank god I didn't cuz it would've been a lie  
i say the damnedest things, when you're on top of me  
i almost told you that I loved you_

Buffy's hands moved across Angel's bare stomach until they reached their destination. Angel moaned at the touch as she continued to palm him and he proceeded to attack her exposed throat with his mouth. He sucked and bit at the skin until he was satisfied that it would bruise before he flipped Buffy over so that she lay beneath him.

Buffy cried out when he entered her and wrapped her legs tightly around his waist. Her fingernails dug into his back and she continued to moan each time he thrust inside her, unable to stop the words spilling out of her mouth as she began to come.

"Angel. Angel. Angel, I love you," she blurted out as her orgasm washed over her.

Angel's face buried into her abused neck and he came as well. The two lay intertwined on the bed until they both came down from their high.

Buffy was the first to do so and she immediately pulled away from Angel, curling onto her side and closing her eyes. She fought the urge to hyperventilate and could barely control her urge to run. Why had she said that? _Oh god. _She'd actually told him she loved him.

Angel turned to face Buffy and he gently stroked the hair out of her face. She opened her eyes and looked at him. He smiled at her and she visibly flinched, sitting up abruptly on the bed.

"I didn't mean it, you know, when I told you I loved you," she said quickly as Angel looked up at her, a bemused expression on his face. "It was just the heat of the moment, you know? Are you hungry? I think we should order Chinese, maybe shrimp fried rice and wonton soup?"

Buffy's heart sped up as the silence continued. Why was she so stupid?

"Marry me."

Buffy's head snapped back towards Angel and she knew what she must look like, her hair wild and her skin flushed from sex, her eyes wide from shock.

"Marry me," Angel repeated, and Buffy knew her ears had not been mistaken.

"No," she answered, her voice shaking and her tone bordering on hysteria, "No, no, no."

"No?" he asked surprise evident in his tone.

"Yes, no. This is a nightmare and any minute, I'm gonna wake up in a hospital full of doctors and needles and gross, smelly bedpans."

Angel visibly relaxed beside her and Buffy froze at the amused expression on his face. She didn't understand. Oh, maybe she was wrong and this was the other nightmare, the one where Angel suddenly grows fangs and bites hers. _Except,_ she thought, biting her lip, _that would've happened already._ It always happened when they were making love.

"Buffy, do your nightmares usually include lovemaking and marriage proposals?" Angel asked, gazing at her through hooded eyes.

"Well…well, no, they don't." She looked at him, confused. If this wasn't a nightmare then…

Realization slowly dawned on her.

"This isn't a dream," she said, her voice quiet and serious.

"No, Buffy."

"And you're not joking," she continued in the same tone.

"No, Buffy."

"So, you're really asking me to marry you?"

"Yes, Buffy," Angel gritted out, his voice tinged with exasperation.

"So, you love me?"

"Yes, Buffy. And," he continued, cutting off her next question, "now that I know you love me as well, I've decided to marry you before you can freak out and run away. Which I'm not sure I've accomplished very well."

Buffy breathed deeply. He was right; she was freaking out. Angel wanted to marry her. _Angel loved her._

And when she looked into his eyes, she said the only possible thing she could.

She said yes.

_I say the damnedest things, when you're on top of me  
I almost told you that I loved you_


	10. hope

**Title: **hope

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **buffy/angel

**Summary: **A mid-season 3 snippet set sometime before "The Prom".

**Author's Notes: **This is my first 100 word drabble. I hope I did okay. And, oh, I might be posting a new, long fic soon. A oneshot from it will probably be posted here first as I want to guage the interest in it before I embark on what will probably be a verylong fic.

**Thanks to: princesakarlita411** and **ba2006** for reviewing.

Lyrics from "Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessional.

* * *

She awoke to slow, lazy kisses that melted her insides. Despite the darkness in the room and her sleep-hazy mind, she knew exactly who was kissing her. She smiled against his lips and wrapped her arms around his torso, slowly sliding her fingers over the smooth expanse of skin. A couple of minutes full of heated kisses and light caresses passed before she had to pull away for much needed air.

"Good morning," he murmured in her ear.

"The _best_ morning," she corrected as he pulled her back against his chest.

Drifting back off to sleep, Buffy decided that she could get used to this.

_Hope dangles on a string  
Like slow spinning redemption_


	11. because this is not what it looks like

**Title: **because this is not what it looks like

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **angelus/buffy

**Summary: **After a late night slaying, Buffy sneaks into Angelus's room to avoid Wesley. Set in an AU world where Angelus and Angel Investigations trains rogue slayers.

**Author's Notes: **Whoo, I'm so proud of myself. 10 days in a row, I've updated this story. It's a super record for me.

**Thanks to: ba2006**, **princesakarlita411**, and **kitotterkat** for **reviewing.**

* * *

Angelus was drying his hair when he heard the crash in his bedroom. Curious, he left the bathroom in search of the source.

What he saw in there surprised him.

Buffy was lying on his bed and tugging her sweat pants off. The source of the noise was apparently her slaying bag, which was lying open on the floor, its contents spilling out across the rug.

"Buff, what the hell are you doing?"

Buffy stopped her struggles and looked up, finally noticing his presence. She let out a small smile before answering his question.

"Um, it's not what this looks like," she said, biting her lip.

"No, because it looks like you're trying to seduce me. Which," he continued, grinning at her lasciviously, "I totally wouldn't mind. Wait, are you bleeding?"

He dropped the smile, finally recognizing the delicious scent that had been plaguing his senses. Delicious though it might be, it was still Buffy's blood and that was nothing to be smiling about.

He walked over to the bed and before she could protest, he was gently easing her pants the rest of the way off her hips. He found the wound fairly quickly, and she flinched when he touched it. It was a deep, rounded stab wound located on her upper thigh and it was leaking blood. He noticed she had tried to stop the blood flow with a piece of her shirt, but it had bled all the way through and he threw it aside with the stained pants.

"Okay," he said, looking up from his position between her legs, "So this is not the way I wanted to get into your pants. What happened?"

She rolled her eyes at him before answering. "I did my usual patrolling around the cemetery when this nasty looking demon attacked me. I got him, but as you can see he got me, too. I didn't want Wes to get his panties all in a bunch so I snuck in through the back and come to the one place he wouldn't look for me."

Angelus nodded, and he got up and headed to his bathroom for the first aid kit. Coming back with it, he found Buffy in his closet, sliding on one of his silk shirts.

"Get back on the bed."

She looked at him with wide eyes and he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. Six months and she still thought he would jump her any chance he got. She was unbelievable.

Waving the first aid kit in her face, he led her back to the bed where he propped her injured leg on his knee and began to clean and bandage the wound. He didn't speak as he did so and she didn't either, both choosing not to ruin the moment with idle talk.

When he finished, he patted her thigh affectionately before pulling away.

"Hey, can I stay here? Only I don't want Wes to see me and your room's a no-Wes zone…" She trailed off, biting her lip again. He wondered if she knew how cute she truly was.

"You know I can't say no to you wanting to sleep in my bed, Buff," he replied smirking. "Go to sleep, I'm gonna go finish some work. Don't break anything."

She nodded and snuggled under his sheets and he left the room.

* * *

"What are you doing?" he asked, when he reentered the room two hours later.

"It's not what it looks like," Buffy said, pulling herself out of his drawer.

He raised one eyebrow and crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation behind her disregard for his privacy. Not that he had anything really secret in those drawers; it was more of the principle of the matter.

"I was looking for something to stop the bleeding," she continued, lifting her leg up too show him her bandaged leg. He'd put on seven layers of bandages but she'd bled through every one.

He walked over to her and moved her back to the bed so he could inspect her leg better. Removing the bloody bandages, he stared at the wound. With her slayer healing, it should've closed already, but the wound remained open.

"Hmm, this demon must have had anticoagulant in its body. Probably to make hunting easier," he murmured.

"Huh? What does that mean?" she asked, confusion wrinkling her brow.

"It means Buff," he answered with a smile, "I'm going to have to sew this up."

Her eyes widened. He knew she hated hospital needles, and that fear extended to sewing needles. He hated to do this to her but she had to.

Angelus went back to the armoire she had been looking through and pulled out his needle and thread. Going back to the bed, he pulled Buffy's leg close to him. He looked up at her before he began; her eyes were shut tight and she was biting her lip. He reached up to stroke her cheek and then began to sew up her thigh.

Lucky for Buffy, the wound was not that wide and he didn't have to work long before the wound was sealed shut.

"I'm done," he told her and she opened her eyes.

"Thanks," she said, her voice cracking.

"Go back to sleep," he said and she proceeded to do just that.

* * *

Buffy opened one eye and then the other. The room was dark but she could see clearly. She turned over and looked at Angelus. And gulped.

It was clear he wasn't wearing anything; the sheets covered his waist, but everything else was bare. She always denied being attracted to him, but in moments like these, she didn't feel the need to lie. Angelus was beautiful.

"Like what you see?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. She had half-expected that. Angelus didn't need that much sleep and when he did sleep, he slept very lightly.

"Not really. Ever heard of sleeping with clothes on?"

He chuckled. "I like my freedom."

She rolled her eyes, disgusted.

"How's your leg?" he asked, turning over to look at her.

"Sore," she replied, trying to stretch out her leg without tearing her stitches.

They both jumped at the sound of someone banging on the door and when it opened, Buffy scrambled closer to Angelus despite his nudity.

"Angelus, Buffy didn't return last night and I'm getting worried…" His words trailed off and his eyes widened.

Buffy's eyes widened as well. "It's not what it looks like."

Wesley backed out of the room and closed the door behind him. Buffy heard his footsteps moving further down the hall.

"You know, Buff, I think this is becoming a pattern," Angelus said, smirking at her.

She hit him over the head with his pillow. "Just get dressed and tell Wes he's made a mistake."

He blew her a kiss, "Anything for you, Buffy."


	12. you don't see the sun anymore

**Title: **you don't see the sun anymore

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **Buffy/Angel

**Summary: **Set at the end of "Beauty and the Beasts". Angel's thoughts.

**Author's Note: **Yes, it's another 100 word drabble. I couldn't help it, this song and scene were just speaking to me. In other news, I wrote a sequel to _"because this is not what it looks like"_ titled not what i'd expected. It's rated M though so don't read it if sex makes you squeamish.

**Thanks to: princesakarlita411 **and **ba2006 **for **reviewing.**

Lyrics from Paramore's "When It Rains"

* * *

He snapped the beast's neck, the loud crack satisfying his blood lust. Yet, he was still filled with so much anger. So much anger. He'd been hurting her. He'd _hurt _her**.**

He growled again before turning back to her.

She was his reason. He knew that. Knew that more than he knew fight. Kill. Survive.

He approached her and she flinched away. He took another step forward, wanting to make the fear and hurt he felt rolling off of her going far, far away. She took a step back and they locked eyes.

And suddenly he knew.

Angel fell to his knees before her, chanting her name as he cried, "Buffy, Buffy, Buffy."

Her tears spilled onto him just like rain.

_and when it rains  
on this side of town it touches everything_


	13. notetaking

**Title: **Notetaking

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **Buffy/Angel

**Summary: **Buffy and Angel pass notes in history class. Set in the same AU as Upskirts.

**Author's Notes: **Ehh, I'm not sure I really like this one. I may end up rewriting it or adding more to it. Also, in other news, I am working on the next chapter in Not What I'd Expected and a new fic, which I'll probably post here first.

**Thanks to:** **princesakarlita411**, **ba2006, **and **especial thanks to Angel's blue eyed girl** for **reviewing. You guys rock!**

* * *

Buffy jumped slightly in her seat and let out a small nose when she was nudged in the side.

Mr. Lewis turned to look at her, an eyebrow raised in question. "Are you alright, Ms. Summers?"

Buffy blushed. "I'm fine, I just – I'm fine."

"Well, if you're okay, please refrain from interrupting my lesson," he continued, turning back to the board.

Buffy grew redder and turned on the cause of all her trouble in anger. Angel smiled at her brightly and nodded his head towards a folded paper on her desk.

Sighing, she opened it. '_What are you thinking about?'_ it read and Buffy wanted to bang her head in frustration. Seriously, she'd gotten in trouble for this?

'_Cataloguing the many ways I can kill you with my bare hands,'_ she scribbled back before sliding the note across to his desk. She watched him read the note, grinning, before scribbling something back.

'_That's so sweet, Buff. You know you do this really cute thing when you write notes. You stick your tongue out the corner of your mouth. It's so adorable. So, wanna go out with me this weekend?'_

Buffy finished reading it and rolled her eyes. Angel never quit. Seriously, he'd asked her out every single day since she and Faith had moved here. It would've been more flattering if she hadn't known he just wanted to get into her pants.

'_No, Angel, I don't want to go out with you just like every other time you've asked me.'_

Buffy turned back to the board and hastily wrote down the notes on the Cold War. She couldn't remember why she had chosen AP Euro, and she didn't understand how she had even gotten into the class. She hated history, and she was bad at it.

This time Buffy was expecting the nudge in her side, so when it came Buffy only jumped a little bit out of her seat. She opened the note in front of her and read:

'_Why won't you go out with me? I've been asking you for a year now, and still you say no. Do you not like me? Please tell me if that's the reason so I can stop wasting your time.'_

Buffy frowned and looked over at Angel who was staring at his notebook, a look of …_sadness_ on his face. Was he serious? She looked at the note again and then looked back towards Angel. Oh God, he really _did_ like her. It wasn't just a joke.

Buffy chose her words carefully as she penned a response. '_It's not that I don't like you, it's just that I thought you wanted me for, well, you know. Isn't that why you want me?'_

She slid the note across to him not daring to look at his face. Not too long after, the note was passed back to her. Buffy could practically hear the sarcasm in his words as she read the note. _'Of course, that's why I want you, Buffy. Because I'd totally stop going out and sleeping with other girls just because of my insane need to fuck you. You're so stupid, you know that? But God, I love you anyways. Go out with me this weekend. I'll take you to the festival, and then we can go to the movies and the park. Come on, you don't even have to tell your friends that you're going out with me. It can be our little secret. :)'_

Buffy bit her lip and looked over at Angel who was giving her his best puppy dog impression. She sighed and scribbled her response, '_Fine. But don't tell anyone or I swear it's off.'_

She passed it back to him and watched him read her response. He gave her the goofiest smile before pointing towards the board. '_Notes,'_ he mouthed and she nodded in understanding.

_Yeah, notes. Those things she should be writing._

She looked at the board and then back towards Angel. Carefully, ripping out a corner of her notebook, she wrote, '_I'll steal yours later.'_

He smiled at her and wrote back, _'Willow's watching us.'_

Buffy twisted in her seat to look at Willow. Buffy could see the question in her eyes and she mouthed, _'I'll tell you after class.'_

When class ended twenty long, painfully boring minutes later, Willow ran up to Buffy as she exited class.

"So what were you two talking about?" Willow asked, nodding towards Angel who was smirking at Buffy. She hated that smirk. It was so..._so._

_"_Nothing. He asked me out again and I said no. **Again.**"

Willow laughed and led Buffy towards their lockers. Before they could reach them, Angel ran up behind Buffy and wrapped his arm over her shoulder.

"So, I'll see you later?" he asked, a hopeful expression on his face.

"You wish," Buffy replied. When Willow looked away, she gave him a smile before removing herself from his arm.

"See?" Buffy said when he walked away.

Willow nodded, laughing again and Buffy sighed. She hated lying to her friends.


	14. she loved the job

**Title: **she loved the job

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Pairing: **gen (but the full fic will be Buffy/Angelus).

**Summary**: Buffy. Working. Set in an AU where Buffy and Angelus are rival assassins.

**Author's Notes**: So, this fic is just an introduction to the full fic I am currently writing and will probably be posting sometime later today. I'm actually writing alot of fics right now. Buffy's kind of taken over my brain again (not that it's a bad thing but...damn, my fingers are getting tired from typing).

**Thanks to: princesakarlita411, BelovedSlayer, paris, Esmerada007**, and **ba2006 **for** reviewing**.

* * *

Buffy waited.

She hated the waiting. Sometimes, she was in a comfortable room with a queen sized bed and fridge full of booze. But most times, like this one, she was in a small cramped area with not even enough room to scratch her nose without alerting her quarry.

And damn her nose was itching.

But, Buffy utilized her acquired skills and ignored the itch. It wouldn't be long now. The custodians had shut off the rest of the department lights twenty minutes earlier and the only other sound was the click-clack of Mr. Bronsen's keyboard.

"Aah, shit. I'm never going to get out of here. And it looks like everybody's gone," snapped Mr. Bronsen.

Buffy smiled. Damn, this man was stupid. No wonder someone wanted him dead.

Slowly, she opened the wall panel and slid out from behind it. She landed on her hands and toes of her feet and she began to crawl quietly behind him. She was lucky his desk was positioned so awkwardly that if he turned around, he wouldn't see her because of the desks extending corners.

He coughed and Buffy stopped moving. It was a good thing too. She had been about to exit the safe range for her to stand up and not show her shadow in his computer screen.

Buffy stood up carefully and flexed her fingers. In a quick movement, she wrapped her arm around his throat, slamming it into his larynx so that his cries came out as a hacking cough. Pressing the palm of one hand to his chin and another to his throat, Buffy twisted, snapping his neck.

He fell back in his seat and she reached over to his desk and grabbed the little portable bottle of Purell. Squirting some on her hands, she rubbed carefully removing the smell of Mr. Bronsen. She pocketed the little bottle and pulled out a hand wipe. Buffy bent down and wiped the dead man's chin.

His office would find him in the morning. They'd probably think he'd just fallen asleep in his chair. That is until they noticed the odd position of his neck.

She finally let herself scratch away the itch on her nose and she flexed her fingers, cracking her knuckles.

Buffy loved her job. She loved when the kill was easy, like this one, and she could finish it with minimal effort and minimal cleanup. She also loved when the kill was difficult and she had to go through human, animal, and electronic guards alike before she could get to her target. It made the kill all the more sweet when she saw the look on the man, and sometimes woman's, face when they realized that nothing could stop their death.

Yeah, Buffy loved her job, but damn it was starting to get boring.


	15. but she was shy

**Title: **but she was shy

**Author: **uskohakuchan

**Summary: **Buffy is "Angel Watching." Set in an AU where Buffy is the art director of one of her mother's galleries, and Angel is an artist.

**Author's Notes: **This story doesn't really flow the way I wanted it too, but I don't want to edit it any longer. And, I really should have been doing other things (like the summer school work that needs to be done by tomorrow as that is when school starts), but well, Buffy is distracting.

**Thanks to: BelovedSlayer, ba2006, **and **princesakarlita411 **for **reviewing. **

* * *

Buffy tilted her head to the side, looking out through the small inner office window.

Liam Angelus was back again.

She sighed and watched as he laid another couple of paintings on top of the already very high pile of them.

Buffy's mother had signed a contract with Angelus last year, making her the sole carrier and displayer of his artwork. Neither Buffy nor Joyce had expected for that to happen, but the arrangement had allowed Joyce to open up two other art galleries in LA, including the one that Buffy was currently art director of. It was the one closest to Angelus' LA apartment, so he usually dropped off his paintings at Buffy's gallery so they could be sent to the other galleries.

Angelus usually came about once every two months to drop off his latest work, and Buffy made sure she was always around at the time. And it wasn't just because Liam Angelus was a gorgeous man. Anyone with eyes could see that. No, Buffy had been attracted to him even before she had laid eyes on him. His painting, "_need_", had been her first introduction to Angelus and the raw emotion in the artwork had pulled Buffy in at first glance. She had always wanted to meet with him face to face, but she was shy, so she settled for watching him from afar.

Buffy tore her eyes away, and moved back behind the wall. Turning to the clock, she noticed the time and inwardly chastised herself. Seriously, it was sad how much time she could waste "Angel Watching." For the next five minutes, Buffy forced herself to focus on the inventory she was supposed to be taking, but she knew she was fighting a losing battle.

Finally giving up, she walked back to the window. She frowned when she saw that Angelus wasn't by his artwork and wondering if Anya had taken him to fill out the paperwork, she moved farther into the window.

The knock on the door surprised Buffy, and she twisted and fell. Picking herself up and trying to force back the burn of embarrassment on her cheeks, she opened the door.

Her jaw dropped and she knew she looked stupid, but her mouth refused to cooperate with her brain.

_Angelus. Liam Angelus_ was standing at her office door.

"Um, hi," he said nervously, flashing her bright smile.

Buffy sputtered and felt her face redden even more. _Oh god, he's gonna think I'm an idiot._

"Hi, what I can I do you for…I mean, what can I do for you?" she blurted out, cursing her inability to form a coherent sentence.

"Um, Anya isn't here to show me the paperwork so I was wondering if you know where I can fill it out at…" He trailed off, staring at her.

Buffy nodded, not really understanding. A second later, she finally processed his question and she cursed herself again. Of course, Anya wasn't here. This was Anya's day off. Why had she not hired any more employees? She could've saved herself the embarrassment of making a fool of herself in front of Angelus.

"Oh, sorry. Um, take a seat, this'll only take a moment," she said indicating the chair in front of her desk. She walked over to her file cabinet and grabbed the art submission forms out of their folder. When she turned around again, she noticed Angelus examining the name plate on her desk.

"So, you're Buffy Summers?" he said as she sat down.

"Yeah," she replied sheepishly.

"Hmm, it's a wonder we've never met before. Considering your mother owns the gallery and you're the art director here," he continued as she handed him the files.

"Yeah," she replied again, feeling like an idiot for not being able to think up a better response.

He silently filled out the forms and she sat at her desk, fidgeting with her fingers. Liam Angelus was here, right in front of her. She wanted to vomit. She wanted to run away. She wanted to have something witty and flirty to say.

She wanted him.

Buffy sat back at her computer and began to do the inventory. It was funny how menial tasks became ten times easier when you were freaking out. She finished cataloguing the sculptures in her gallery and updating the list of statuettes that needed cleaning when she chanced a look at Angelus.

He was bent over the papers, and biting his lip. Buffy saw that he had stopped at the title section and smiled. Her mom had told her that he always had trouble with naming his paintings.

Angelus ran his fingers through his hair and lifted his head. Buffy jerked quickly in her seat, not wanting him to know she'd been watching him. She started working on cataloguing the paintings, while simultaneously looking at him out the corner of her eye.

He was staring at the wall, an unreadable expression on his face. Angelus was even more handsome up close, and Buffy knew that if she didn't stop herself now, she'd probably end up falling in love with him, _if_ she hadn't already.

Buffy returned to her work, trying to put her whole focus into it. The silence in the room should've helped her concentrate better, but if anything it made it harder.

"Okay," Angelus said, surprising Buffy into knocking her pen on the floor. She reached down to pick it up, the redness in her cheeks that had finally begun to dissipate, returning in full force.

"Okay, I have to tell you, I didn't actually come in here for the forms," he continued, when she straightened back up in her seat.

Buffy stared at him, not comprehending.

"See, the real reason…well, I came in here because. I know you've been watching me."

Buffy's recovered pen dropped to floor again. She knew she should've stopped watching him ages ago, knew that one day she'd be found out, but the reality of the situation had never really hit her.

"Oh, I –" she began, but Angelus cut her off. "I've known this since the very beginning. See, because well I've been watching you, too. I first saw you when I went to your mother's gallery in Sunnydale. You were just so… I had to see more of you, so I agreed to let your mom host all of my artwork, thinking that I'd be able to see you more often. But then you came to work here, and your assistant was always around so I never really had an excuse to come talk to you. So, when I called her up, trying to schedule a time when I could drop off my paintings and found out that she was on vacation and that you'd be the only one here, I decided that this would be the perfect time to finally talk to you. And possibly ask you out for coffee?"

He finished with a question and a small, almost nervous smile and Buffy gaped at him. This had to be a dream. She was probably still in bed and the day hadn't even started yet. Buffy closed her eyes and pinched her arm, but when she saw that Angelus was still there, the same nervous smile on his face, she closed her eyes again. She wasn't asleep and Angelus was here, confessing to having a crush on her for over a year.

"You want to go out for coffee? With me?" she asked when she opened her eyes again.

Angelus nodded.

Buffy smiled at him and stood up from her seat. "I know a great coffee place down the street. They even have doughnuts."

His smile widened and he mirrored her movements, standing up in front of her. "I can drive," he offered.

"Let me just get my coat," Buffy replied, fighting the urge to cheer. Liam Angelus had asked her out for coffee.

When he held the door open for her, Buffy knew that she had fallen in love.


	16. she doesn't know what's going on

**Title: **she doesn't know what's going on (inside her own head)

**Pairing: **Buffy/Angel

**Author: **sentbyfools

**Summary: **Set during the end of "Beauty and the Beasts". Buffy's thoughts when Angel shows up.

**Notes:** I was supposed to go to bed, but then I watched this episode and was inspired to write this. I've written a drabble for this scene before (and this could be seen as a companion piece), but this one's in Buffy's POV. I really love this scene, and this episode. It's so beautiful, and whenever I rewatch it, I'm reminded of what captured me about this show and all the reasons why I love Buffy.

* * *

She's stunned and a little scared to say the least when Angel, vamped out – _yellow eyes, and she remembers Angelus' smirk, all sharpness and fangs_ – and growling, appears in the doorway.

She's not prepared for him to run over and start attacking Pete, so she doesn't know what to do with herself after she gets up off the dirty floor. The state of her clothes (she really likes this jacket) are only a passing thought as she watches Angel fight, the vicious _beastliness_ of his movements causing her to take two steps back, and she doesn't even notice she's _so_ close to running out the open door.

When Pete knocks Angel to the floor and turns his red eyes and hate-mutated face (_all that hate directed at her, and what did she do? She's not the one who killed his girlfriend – he's the monster)_ on her she almost bolts, but then Angel's behind him, the chains she put on his wrists – _and he must have bruised them, cut them, ripping the chains from that metal hook – _wrapping around his throat. Her eyes zone in on those wrists, and god, she nearly laughs at her concern; it really isn't the time – she's not even sure he's _human _anymore (and isn't that a funny concept, a _human_ vampire, kind of like a vampire with a soul, and there's a word for this; she knows it starts with an _o_) – and here she is, worrying about his wrists. One tug and Angel flips him. Twist, snap – she flinches at the sound – and Pete's dead.

Angel turns towards her, and she watches him as he walks toward her, unable to move. His yellow eyes are fixed on hers now, and she can't even look away. The thought occurs to her that if he killed her right now, wrapped those chains around her neck like he did Pete, and choked the life out of her, she probably wouldn't even put up a fight. Angel's face changes, and it's the first time she's seen anything that suggested humanity about him since he came back – _she sees the black scorch marks on the floor, and was he burning when he landed on that floor. Did the dust put the flames out? _ It's only when she sees that human façade – _and Giles would be so proud that she knows what the word means, can use it correctly in a sentence_ – that she notices he's trembling.

"Buffy," Angel says, and he falls to his knees, hugging her to him.

She doesn't say a word in response, just lets him hold her as they both cry.

Angel, Angel, Angel – and everything is real.


	17. Mannequin

**"Mannequin" by Britney Spears. Album: _Circus_.**

**Summary: **AtS. Cordelia Chase. AR. PG.

**A/N: **Originally posted to my LJ.

* * *

She's stuck on whether to go with the bright blue Jimmy Choo's or the 3½ inch Louboutin originals. If she wears the Jimmy Choo's it'll bring out the metallic pattern of her dress, but she has a 30k diamond necklace for that so she chooses the black Louboutins instead.

Black is classier anyways, and Cordelia Chase is all class.

She goes to the bathroom, and puts the finishing touches on her makeup. Just enough blush to make the red in her newly dyed hair stand out, but not enough to look like a clown. Her lips are Kat Von D Painted Love red, her favorite lipstick, and she reapplies her mascara for that extra lift.

Cordelia looks at herself in the mirror and likes what she sees.

"Not bad," she says, and walks out the door.

Her ex-manager is going to wish she never let her go, and Devon is going to want her back, and that's just the way Cordelia likes it.


	18. 멍청한 사랑

**"멍청한 사랑" by Big Bang. Album: _Remember_**

**Summary: **BtVS/AtS. Buffy/Angel. Angst. PG.

**A/N: **Originally posted to my LJ.

* * *

Angel's looking for a book on K'ra'korth demons when he pulls out a demon's lexicon and something falls to the floor. He picks up the fallen object and takes an unneeded breath.

Buffy's staring up at him, a bright smile on her face. Her eyes are bright, and the camera must've caught the light _just_ right because it shines down on her, highlighting the beauty in her visage, and she looks just… an _angel._

He remembers that day. Joyce had bought her a new Polaroid camera, "a present for not dying," Buffy had said, and he remembers she'd given him a shy smile when she asked if she could take a picture of him.

Of course, he'd said yes.

He remembers the look of disappointment on her face when it hadn't come out so clearly, it was like the pain was fresh, new. But she'd brightened up quickly and thrust the camera into his hands, telling him to take pictures of her. He'd taken so many – messed up the first few, but she hadn't minded; she'd laughed (god, he loved her laugh) – and this one had entranced him; he'd asked her if he could keep it.

She said yes.

"Angel, did you find the book?" Wesley calls, and it startles him. Angel hadn't realized he'd been crying, and he wipes his eyes hastily and calls back a "Yeah, coming."

He picks up the lexicon and places the picture in it for safe-keeping.


	19. Golddigger

**"Golddigger" by Kanye West/Glee Cast. Album:_ Glee Original Soundtrack._**

**Summary: **AtS. Cordelia Chase, Angel. AR. PG.

**A/N: **Originally posted to my LJ.

* * *

"I need your credit card," Cordelia says, and Angel raises one eyebrow, looking at her with bemusement. She rolls her eyes, answering the unspoken question.

"I need to go shopping. DUH."

"Didn't you just go shopping? And why am I paying for this?" he says, folding his arms over his chest.

She rolls her eyes again and sighs. "Geez, Angel, we've gone over this like a million times already. It's in my contract. You let me use your credit card, and I let you have access to all those nice visions the PTB decided that I just _have to_ have. Kay?"

Cordelia sticks out her hand, and Angel really doesn't want to, but he reaches in his pocket and pulls out his wallet. Before he can open it, she pulls it out of his hand and removes the Visa Platinum Card. Snapping it shut, Cordelia hands it back to him before the slipping the card in her pocket.

"I'll be back later. Don't wait up," she says, strolling out the door into the busy LA streets. Angel watches her for a moment before turning away. Returning to his desk, he reaches into the file cabinet beside it and flips through the folders until he finds the right one.

"This contract hereby entitles Cordelia Chase to use the forenamed employer's, Angel Investigations, funds for both business and personal expenses," he reads aloud and then sighs.

He really needs to start reading these contracts.


	20. No World for Tomorrow

**"No World for Tomorrow" by Coheed and Cambria. Album: _No World for Tomorrow_.**

**Summary: **BtVS. OC: Slayer. AU. PG.

**A/N: **Originally posted to my LJ

* * *

She's beaten and bruised and probably dying. She can hear the fight going on around her through the haze of pain. She knows that if she lets herself drift off, she'll be dead and gone, and there'll be nobody there to pick up the body or even remember her name, and it doesn't matter because all she wants to do is sleep.

But the scream pierces her ears like a knife to her gut (_coincidentally, she has that too)_, so she opens her eyes and picks up her broken body. She hoists her ax and jumps into the fray, decapitating the vampire before it has a chance to sink its teeth into the girl's throat.

"Run," she says to the girl and doesn't watch to see her order carried out, just turns to the next vampire swinging her ax.

She's beaten and bruised and probably dying, but she fights anyway because this is her job, her sacred duty.

Because she is the Slayer.


End file.
